The male gymnast's costume has changed very little over the past few decades. Male gymnasts wear shorts and a vest for floor exercises and vault. For the other apparatus, they are required to wear long white trousers with suspenders and an elastic strap on the trousers fastening underneath the foot. Most gymnasts wear a soft leather shoe specially designed for gymnastics. A few will work in bare feet. The male gymnast's clothing is lightweight and flexible so that it doesn't interfere in any way with his movements. At the 1928 Olympics Games in Amsterdam, the women competitors wore long knickers, gymslips, thick socks, shirts, and ties.
You probably know what they wear today. A one-piece garment known as a leotard normally covers their arms to the wrist but leaves the legs free. A nineteenth century French acrobat called Jean Leotard invented the leotard. Slippers without socks are the customary footwear through many gymnasts prefers to work in bare feet. Today's clothing not only permits a maximum range of movement but also helps to enhance the line and elegance of gymnast. You must be conscious of your dress. An untidy gymnast creates a bad image and that lead to poor marks from the judges.
Tracksuits are an absolute necessary for both male and female gymnasts. A leotard is the perfect garment for all women’s events. They must be worn during the warm-up and taken off just before you perform. Be sure to put the tracksuit on again after your routine so that your muscles don't get cold.
On the equipment side, hand-guards are essential. Hand-guards are crucial to prevent the hands from becoming chapped and blistered. They help with your grip and protect your hands too. You will also notice gymnasts move around from one apparatus to the next clutching a bag large enough to carry clothing and small items such as resin, bandages, and chalk. The white substance gymnast use to keep their hands dry look is in fact, magnesium carbonate. One word of advice - do not shake it up too much in the container because it can irritate your eyes and throat.
Make sure that your fingers and hand-guards are well chalked-up before using any piece of equipment. Trampettes are used as an extra springboard for tumbling and vault training. They are about 3 ft. square and consist of canvas bad fixed to metal frame by metal or rubber springs. The slope of the trampette can be varied. Used correctly this apparatus is of great value to the gymnast; used incorrectly it can be lethal. It must not be used as a trampoline. A springboard must be used for the vault but it is optional for mounting parallel bars, uneven bars, and the beam. Sloped and curved, the thick plywood springboard has rubber blocks to provide the spring.
Floor beams are invaluable for training and most gyms have them. They are just wooden beams placed on very low feet only 2 to 4 in. from the ground. The floor beam should be covered with carpet.
Tags: